Joe Root said he is looking to get as much information as possible about the Australian players playing in the Big Bash League.

Joe Root, who has struggled to cement his place in England's T20 team, might make his Big Bash League (BBL) debut when Sydney Thunder take on Melbourne Stars in Canberra on Friday. Having played just 28 T20 International matches for England so far, Joe Root will look to prove his mettle in the shortest format and observe the playing conditions Down Under ahead of The Ashes 2019. "I will keep an eye on things while I'm out here. [I will] get a close view of certain players within this tournament and watching the Test matches on the television," Root said.

The 27-year-old, however, cautioned that there is still a lot of time for Ashes and he is looking to get as much information as possible about the Australian players playing in the tournament.

"There's a lot of time between now and that Ashes series and a lot of things can happen and change quite drastically in that space of time. So [it's about getting] as much information as you can now, but understanding that it doesn't always carry forward into six months' time. Any head start you can get ahead of a big series like that is crucial," he added.

The Sydney Thunder player, who has struggled to cement his spot in the national T20 side, hoped that the tournament would act as a huge opportunity for him to "play a block of T20 cricket."

He further stated that the competition is a "nice addition" for the upcoming T20 World Cup which is slated to be held in Australia in 2020.

"I watch the tournament every year. It looks like a great spectacle to be involved in. The cricket looks right at the top of the game. It's a great opportunity to play a block of T20 cricket, which I've not had for a long time now," Root said.

"The T20 World Cup will be here in a year's time or so. That was a nice addition. But more than anything it was getting the opportunity to play in one of the better domestic tournaments around the world," he added.

Sydney Thunder will play their opening match of the ongoing Big Bash League against Melbourne Stars on December 21 at the Docklands Stadium, Melbourne.